Rockford abortion clinic begins fight to reopen

Thursday

The Northern Illinois Womenís Center, the regionís sole abortion clinic, will start its fight to reopen Monday when its heads to a preliminary hearing with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Typically, the preliminary hearing is a time for both parties to make their official appearances before an administrative judge and set a hearing date. The judge usually takes this time to set a series of dates - one for the hearing and others pertaining to deadlines for matters like filing motions and disclosing witnesses. The judge may also entertain settling the case at this time.

The telephonic conference between the clinic, the Department of Public Health and the administrative judge will be at 10 a.m. The judge can sustain or overrule the suspension.

The state suspended the clinic's license Sept. 29 because of several health and safety violation discovered by state inspectors in June and September. The clinic was placed on a corrective plan in June and allowed to remain open.

Illinois Department of Public Health records indicate that most of the violations observed in a June inspection report were corrected to the stateís standard in the weeks that followed the inspection, but some violations remained and new ones were discovered when the state reinspected the clinic in September.

Noted in the suspension notice was that the clinic failed to ensure the presence of a registered nurse in the operating room and directing and supervising patient care, as required by the state. Also, the clinicís doctors did not have surgical privileges with a licensed Illinois hospital, and the clinic did not have a written agreement with a laboratory to perform any lab tests that couldnít be done at the center.

The suspension was immediate and indefinite, and the clinic at 1400 Broadway has been closed since that date. It was fined $15,000 as well.

The clinic was first licensed by the state as a Pregnancy Termination Center in 1992. According to articles of incorporation filed with the state, Dr. Richard Ragsdale opened the clinic in 1974. In 1974 and until 1992, the state regulated and licensed abortion clinics differently that post-1992.

The Northern Illinois Womenís Center has become ground zero in the local debate for and against abortion rights. Itís been a regular site for protests and prayer vigils. The stateís Public Health Department received a handful of complaints regarding the clinic in recent months, as well. Complaints, who made them and what they alleged, are confidential.

††

ccurry@rrstar.com815-987-1371

The Northern Illinois Womenís Center, the regionís sole abortion clinic, will start its fight to reopen Monday when its heads to a preliminary hearing with the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Typically, the preliminary hearing is a time for both parties to make their official appearances before an administrative judge and set a hearing date. The judge usually takes this time to set a series of dates - one for the hearing and others pertaining to deadlines for matters like filing motions and disclosing witnesses. The judge may also entertain settling the case at this time.

The telephonic conference between the clinic, the Department of Public Health and the administrative judge will be at 10 a.m. The judge can sustain or overrule the suspension.

The state suspended the clinic's license Sept. 29 because of several health and safety violation discovered by state inspectors in June and September. The clinic was placed on a corrective plan in June and allowed to remain open.

Illinois Department of Public Health records indicate that most of the violations observed in a June inspection report were corrected to the stateís standard in the weeks that followed the inspection, but some violations remained and new ones were discovered when the state reinspected the clinic in September.

Noted in the suspension notice was that the clinic failed to ensure the presence of a registered nurse in the operating room and directing and supervising patient care, as required by the state. Also, the clinicís doctors did not have surgical privileges with a licensed Illinois hospital, and the clinic did not have a written agreement with a laboratory to perform any lab tests that couldnít be done at the center.

The suspension was immediate and indefinite, and the clinic at 1400 Broadway has been closed since that date. It was fined $15,000 as well.

The clinic was first licensed by the state as a Pregnancy Termination Center in 1992. According to articles of incorporation filed with the state, Dr. Richard Ragsdale opened the clinic in 1974. In 1974 and until 1992, the state regulated and licensed abortion clinics differently that post-1992.

The Northern Illinois Womenís Center has become ground zero in the local debate for and against abortion rights. Itís been a regular site for protests and prayer vigils. The stateís Public Health Department received a handful of complaints regarding the clinic in recent months, as well. Complaints, who made them and what they alleged, are confidential.

††

ccurry@rrstar.com815-987-1371

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